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NFL Mock Draft 9.0: Quarterbacks push defensive prospects down board

By Jacob Camenker

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 03: Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield looks on during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 03: Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield looks on during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Baker Mayfield. 3. player. 30. . Quarterback. Oklahoma

This may be a bit of a surprise to some, but Baker Mayfield seems like a top 10 lock and he could go a lot higher than expected. Mayfield is an underrated player who recently came in at No. 2 overall on our quarterback Big Board. And there’s a good reason why.

Mayfield is a fiery player with a gritty, winner’s mentality that rubs off on his teammates. At Oklahoma, Mayfield was a great leader and while he sometimes got into trouble for his on-field antics, he still performed at a very high level and demonstrated qualities that many teams will like.

In terms of talent, Mayfield has elite level ball placement, great accuracy, and good arm strength. He truly is reminiscent of Drew Brees. He’s a bit smaller than one would like, but his ability to complete passes is second to none. The Jets need a talent like this, and Mayfield would be an ideal fit.

Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline has reported that the Jets are very interested in Mayfield, and he said the following of the rumors in a recent pro day update on his site.

"There are a good number of league insiders who believe the New York Jets will use the third pick of the draft to select quarterback Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma. This assumes that Sam Darnold is already gone when the Jets are called to the clock. This is not set in stone; it’s people reading the tea leaves from what’s coming out of the organization. I’ll go on record and say that passing on Josh Rosen or Josh Allen in favor of Mayfield would be a colossal mistake by the Jets."

I don’t entirely agree with Pauline’s analysis that taking Mayfield would be a “colossal mistake.” I happen to like Mayfield a lot as a prospect though. He could give the Jets the fire they need and if he isn’t ready to start, he can backup Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for a season. That makes him a fine fit and while he may not be as talented as Josh Rosen, he could still become a Brees-like player at the NFL level. And the Jets definitely wouldn’t complain about that.

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